Serious thoughts occasioned by the earthquake at Lisbon. To which is subjoin'd an account of all the late earthquakes there, and in other places. By John Wesley, ... 1756

wrt IF. I n

Go 1778 4

SERIOUS THOUGHTS

Occaſioned by the

EARTHOUAKE

At LISBON.

—

>

TO WHICH 15 $SUR3;01%'D

AnAccouxr of all the late EAR TH-
QUAKES there, and in other Places.

Tua res agitur, paries qumm proximus artet.

—

—

di eat

By FOHN WESLEY, M.A.
Late Fellow of Lincoin-Cuilrge, Ox rob.

j

*— is. ac cific

— WE

The SIXTH EDITION.

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LONDON:
Printed in the Year M.DCC.LV]I

(3)

*

NEED Eee „ 5

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888 5 & Zy I AN $ IS
JOANN $ Yall $ 8980

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SERIOUS THOUGHTS
Occaſioned by the late
EARTHQUAKE at TZisbon.

HINEKING Men generally allow, that

the greater Part of modern Chriſtians are
"0% 3 not more virtuous than the antient Hea-

thens: Perhaps leſs ſo ; fince public Spi-
rit, Love of our Country, generous Honeſty, and
fimple Truth, are ſcarce any-where to be found.
On the contrary, Covetouſneſs, Ambition, various
Injuſtice, Luxury and Falſhood in every Kind,
have infected every Rank and Denomination of
People. Now they, who believe there is a Gor,
are apt to believe He is not well-pleaſed with this.
Nay, x they think He has intimated it very plainly,
in many Parts of the Chriſtian World. How ma-

A2 av

(47)
ny hundred thouſand Men have been ſwept away
by War, in Europe only, within half a Century ?
How many thouſands, within little more than this,
bath the Earth opened her Mouth and ſwallowed
up? Numbers ſunk at Port-Royal, and roſe no
more. Many thouſands went quick into the Pit,
at Callao and Lima. The whole City of Catania in
Sicily, and every Inhabitant of it, periſhed together.
Nothing but Heaps of Aſhes and Cinders ſhew
where it ſtood. Not fo much 2s one Lot eſcaped
out of Sodom /

And what ſhall we ſay of the late Accounts from
Portugal ? That ſeveral thouſand Houſes, and ma-
r.y thouſand Perſons, are no more? That a fair Ci-
ty is now in ruinous Heaps ? Is there indeed àa Gon
that judges the World? And is He now making
Inquiſition for Blood ? If fo, it is not ſurprizing
that He ſhould begin there, where fo much Blood
has been poured on the Ground like Water; where
ſo many brave Men have been murdered, in the
molt baſe and cowardly, as well as barbarous Man-
ner, almoit every Day, as well as every Night,
while none regarded or laid it to Heart, « Let
them hunt and deſtroy the precious Life, ſo we
may ſecure our * Stores of Gold and precious
„Stones. How long has their Blood been cry-
g rom the Earth? Yea, how long has that blood

I
+ £#02- of Mercy, the Scandal not only of all Reli-

— ee —— — — _ = a —

Merchants who have lived in Portugal inform us, that
tue King had a large Building, filled with Diamonds ; and
moe Gold twored up, coined and uncoined, than all the
2.fcr Princes of Zurcpe together.

t The Title which the Ingaliſitian in Portugal (if not in
other Ccuntries alio) takes to itſelf. N

gion

1
1

($4
gion, but even of human Nature, ſtood to inſult
both Heaven and Earth? And hall I not viſit for
theſe Things, ſaith the LoRD ? ſhall not my Soul be
avenged of ſuch a City as this?

It has been the Opinion of many, that even this
Nation has not been without ſome Marks of Gop's
Diſpleaſure. Has not War been let looſe even.
within our own. Land, fo. that London itſelf. felt the.
Alarm? Has not. a peſtilential Sickneſs broken in
upon our Cattle, and in many Parts left not. one
of them alive? And although the Earth does. not
yet open in Englund or Ireland, has it not ſhook,
and reeled to and fro like a drunken Man? And
that not in one or two Places only, but almoſt from.
one End of the Kingdom to the other!

Perhaps one might aſk,. Was there nothing un-
common, nothing more than is uſual at this "Sea-

jon of the Year, in the Rains, the Hail, the Winds,
the Thunder and Lightening, which we have late-
ly heard and ſeen? Particulariy, in the Storm which
was the jame Day and Hour tnat they were playing

off Macbeth's Thunder and. Lightening at. the.
Theatre ?

What ſhall we ſay to the Affair of V Hiſten. Clif?
Of which, were it not for the unparallelled Stupi-
dity of the Englihh, all England would. have rang
long ago, from one Sea to another. And yet, ler
ven Miles from the. Place, they knew little more
of it in Mi laſt, than if it had happened in Chin

or Jaban. "What is ſtill more ſurpriſing is, that
ſoine (J hope not many) in London, have, at this.
very Day, eicher the inimitable Cenfeleſonefs to di.
believe, or at leaſt the Eyvontery to deny it,

A3 The

ing Thunder,
looking up to
| a large Body of Stone, four or fave.
Yards broad, ſplit and fly off from the very Top of
the Rock. They thought it ſtrange, but rode on.
Between Ten and Eleven, a larger Piece of the
Rock, about filteen Yards thick, thirty high, and
between ſixty and ſeventy broad, was torn off, and
thrown into the Valley.

Toon after ſeveral large Stones or Rocks, of ſome

on Weight each, roſe out of the Ground. Others.
were thrown on one Side, Others turned upſide
down, and many rolled over and over, Being a
pede furprized, and ngt very curious, he haſted on
his

(7

On Friday and Saturday the Ground continued to
ſhake, and the Rocks to roll over one another.
The Earth alſo clave aſunder in very many Places,
and continued ſo to do till Sunday Morning.

Being at Oſnotherly, ſeven Miles from the Cliffs,
on Monday, June 1, and finding Edward Aobot there,
I defired him the next Morning to ſhew me the
Way thither. I walked, crept, and climbed round.
and over great Part of the Ruins, I could not per-
ceive by any Sign, that there was ever any Cavity
in the Rock at all; but one Part of the ſolid Stone
is cleft from the reſt, in a perpendicular Line, and
as ſmooth as if cut. with Inſtruments. Nor is it
barely thrown down, but ſplit into many hundred
Pieces, ſome of which lie four or fiwe hundred
Yards from the main Rock.

The Ground neareſt the Cliff is not raiſed, but
funk conſiderably beneath the Level. But at ſome
Diſtance it is raiſed in a Ridge of eight or ten Yards
high, twelve or fifteen broad, and near an hundred.
long. Adjoining to this lies an oval Piece of
Ground, thirty or forty Yards in Diameter, which
has been removed, whole as it is, from beneath the
Cliff, without the leaſt Fiſſure, with, all its Load
of Rocks, ſome of which were as large as the Hull
of a ſmall Ship. At a little Diſtance is a ſecond
Piece of Ground, forty or fifty Yards acroſs, which
has been alſo tranſplanted entire, with Rocks of va-
rious Sizes upon it, and a Tree growing out of one
of them. By the Removal of one or both of theſe,
J ſuppoſe the Hollow near the Cliff was made.

All round them lay Stones and Rocks, great and
Gnall, ſome on the Surface of the Earth, ſome half

ſung

(8)
funk into it, ſome almoſt covered, in Variety of
Poſitions. Between theſe the Ground was cleft
aſunder, in a thouſand Places. Some of the Aper-
tures were nearly cloſed again, ſome gaping as at
firſt. Between thirty and forty Acres of Land, as
is commonly ſuppoſed, (though ſome reckon above
fixty) are in this Condition.

On the Skirts of theſe, I obſerved in Abundance
of Places, the green Turf (for it was Paſture Land)
as it were pared off, two or three Inches thick,
and wrapped round, like Sheets of Lead. A little
farther it was not cleft or broken at all, but raiſed
in Ridges, five or {ix Foot long, exactly reſembling
the Graves in a Church-yard.. Of theſe there is a
vaſt Number. |

That Part of the Cliff from which the reſt is
torn, lies ſo high, and is now of ſo bright a Co-
tour, that it is plainly viſible to all the Country
round, even at the Diſtance of feveral Miles. We
jaw it diſtinctly; not only from the Street in Thir/t,
but for five or ſix Miles, as we rode toward York.
So we did likewiſe in the great North Road, be-
tween Sandbutton and Northallerton..

But how may we account for this Phenomenon?
Was it effected by a merely natural Cauſe ? It fo,
that Cauſe muſt either have been Fire, Water, or
Air. It could not be Fire; for then ſome Mark
of it muſt-have appeared, either at the Time, or
after it. But no ſuch Mark does appear, nor ever
did: Not fo much as the leaſt Smoke, either when
the firſt or ſecond Rock was removed, or in the
whole Space between Tueſay and Sunday.

&

(9)

Tt could not be Water ; for no Water iſſued out,
when the one or the other Rock was torn off. Nor
had there been any Rains for ſome Time before.
It was in that Part of the Country a remarkable
dry Seaſon. Neither was there any Cavity in that
Part of the Rock, wherein a ſufficient Quantity of
Water might have lodged. On the contrary, it
was one fingle, ſolid Maſs, which was evenly and
ſmoothly cleft in ſunder. |

There remains no other natural Cauſe aſſignable
but impriſoned Air. I ſay, impriſoned : For as to
the faſhionable Opinion, that the exterior Air 1s
the grand Agent in Earthquakes, it is fo ſenſeleſs,
unmechanical, unphiloſophical a Dream, as deſerves
not to be named, but to be exploded. But it 1s
hard to conceive, how even impriſoned Air could
produce ſuch an Effect. It might indeed ſmoke,
tear, raiſe, or fink the Earth : But how could it
cleave a ſolid Rock: Here was not Room for a
Quantity of it ſufficient to do anything of this
Nature; at leaſt, unleſs it had been violently ex-
panded by Fire, which was not the Caſe, Could
a ſmall Quantity of Air, witheut that violent Ex-
panſion, have torn fo large a Body of Rock from
the reſt, to which it adhered in one folid Maſs ?
Could it have ſhivered this into Pieces, and ſcatter-
ed ſeveral of thoſe Pieces ſome hundred Yards

round ? Could it have tranſported thoſe Promon-.

tories of Earth, with their incumbent Load, and
ſet them down, unbroken, unchanged, at a Diſ-
tance? 'Fruly I am not ſo great a Volunteer in
Faith as to be able to believe this. He that ſup-
poſes this, muſt ſuppoſe Air to be not only a very

ſtrong, (which we allow) but a very wiſe Agent:
While

( 20 )
While it bore its Charge with fo great Caution, as
not to hurt or diſlocate any Part of it.

What then could be the Cauſe ? What, indeed,
but Gop, who aroſe to ſhake terribly the Earth:
Who purpoſely choſe ſuch a Place, where there is
ſo great a Concourſe of Nobility and Gentry every
Year; and wrought in ſuch a Manner, that many
might ſee it and fear, that all who travel one of tha
moſt frequented Roads in England might ſee it, al-
moſt whether they would or no, fer many Miles
together. It mult likewiſe, for many Years, mau-
gre all the Art of Man, be a viſible Monument of
his Power. All that Ground being now ſo incum-
bered with Rocks and Stones, that it cannot be
either ploughed or grazed, Nor can it well ſerve
any Uſe, but to tell all that ſee it, Ih can land
before this great God?

Who can account for the late Motion in the
Waters ? Not only that of the Sea, and Rivers
communicating therewith, but even that in Canals,
Fiſh-ponds, Ciſterns, and all other large or ſmall
Bodies of Water ? It was particularly obſerved,
that while the Water itſelf was fo violently agitat-
ed, neither did the Earth near it ſhake at all, nor
wy of the Veſſels which contained that Water.
as ſuch a Thing ever known or heard of before!

I know not but it was ſpoken of once, about eigh-
teen hundred Years ago, in thoſe remarkable Words,
There ſhall be Lechel, (not only Earthquakes, but
various Concufſions or Shakings ) in divers Places.”
And ſo there have been in Portugal, in Spain, in
Africa, in America, in Italy, in Holland, in England,
in Ireland, and not improbably in many other Pla-
ces too, which we are not yet informed of. Vet
it does not ſeem that a Concuſſion of this Kind has

5 evex

SOLE
pM * Go

11
ever been known before, ſince either the ſame, or
ſome other Comet revolved ſo near the Earth. For
we know of no other natural Cauſe in the Uni-
verſe, which is adequate to ſuch an Effect. And
that this is the real Cauſe, we ſhall, in all Proba-
bility, be terribly convinced in a ſhort Time.

But alas ! why fhould we not be convinced ſoon-
er, while that Conviction may avail, that it is not
Chance which governs the World ? Why ſhould
we not now, before London is as Liſbon, Lima, or
Catania, acknowledge the Hand of the Almighty,
ariſing to maintain his own Cauſe ? Why, we have
a general Anſwer always ready, to ſcreen us from
any ſuch Conviction : *All theſe Things are pure-
« ly natural and accidental, the Reſult of natural
« Cauſes.” But there are two Objections to this

Anſwer: Firſt, it is untrue; Secondly, it is un-
comfortable.

Firſt, If by affirming, „All this is purely na-
tural,” you mean it is not providential, or that Gon
has nothing to do with it, this is not true, that is,
ſuppoſing the Bible to be true. For ſuppoſing this,
you may deſcant ever ſo long on the natural Cauſes
of Murrain, Winds, Thunder, Lightening, and
yet you are altogether wide of the Mark, you prove
nothing at all, unleſs you can prove, that Gop ne-
ver works in or by natural Cauſes. But this you
cannot prove. Nay, none can doubt of his ſo work-
ing, who allows the Scripture to be of Gop. For
this aſſerts, in the cleareſt and ſtrongeſt Terms,
that all Things (in Nature) ſerve Him : That (by
or without a Train of natural Cauſes) He ſendeth
his Rain on the Earth, that He bringeth the Winds
out of his Treaſures, and maketh a May for the Light-
ning and the Thunder In general, that Fire and

| Hail,

( 12 )
Hail, Snow and Vapour, Wind and Storm, 18 his
au

Mord. Therefore allowing there are natural Cauſes
of all theſe, they are ſtill under the Direction of
the LorD of Nature. Nay, what is Nature itſelf
but the Art of Gor? or Gop's Method of acting
in the material World? True Philoſophy therefore
aſcribes all to God, and ſays, in the beautiful Lan-
guage of that wiſe and good Man,

Here, like a Trumpet loud and ſtrong,
Thy Thunder ſhakes our Coaſt ;

While the red Lightnings wave along,
The Banners of thy Ho,

A ſecond Objection to your Anſwer is, it is ex-
tremely uncomfortable. 1 or if Things really be
as you affirm, if all theſe afflictive Incidents entire-
ly depend on the fortuitous Concourſe and Agency
of blind, material Cauſes, what Hope, what Help,
what Reſource is left, for the poor Sufferers by
them? Should the Murrain among the Cattle con-
tinue a few Years longer, and conſequently produce
Scarcity or Famine, what will there be left for ma-
ny of the Poor to do, but to lie down and die ? If
tainted Air ſpread a Peſtilence over our Land, where
ſhall they fly for Succour ? They cannot reſiſt either
the one or the other. They cannot eſcape from
them. And can they hope to appeaſe

Llacrymabilem Plutona?
« Inexorable Pluto, King of Shades?“

Shall they intreat the Famine or the Peſtilence to
ſhew Mercy ? Alas! they are as ſenſeleſs as you
ſuppoſe Gop to be.

However,

( 13 )

However, you who are Men of Fortune can 10 ift
tolerably ay in ſpite of theſe Difficulties. Your
Money will undoubtedly meocure you Food, as long
as there is any in the Kingdom. And if your Phy-
ſicians cannot ſecure you from the epidemic Diſ-
eaſe, your Coaches can carry you from the Place
of Infection. Be it ſo: But you are not out of
all Danger yet; unleſs you can drive faſter than
the Wind. Are you ſure of this? And are your
Horſes literally ſwifter than the Lightning ? Can
they leave the panting Storm, behind ? If not, what
will you do when it overtakes you? Try your
Eloquence on the Whirlwind ? Will it hear your
Voice? Will it regard either your Money, or
Prayers, or Tears? Call Upon the Lightning. Cry
aloud. See whether your Voice will divide the Flames
of Fire? O no! It hath no Ears to hear: It de-
voureth and ſheweth no, Pity.

But this is not all. Here is a nearer Enemy.
The Earth threatens to ſwallow you up. Where
is your Protection now? What Defence do you
find from thouſands of Gold and Silver ? You can-
not fly; for you cannot quit the Earth, unleſs you
will leave your dear Body behind you. And while
you are on the Earth, you know not where ts flee
to, neither where to flee from. You may buy In-
telligence where the Shock was Yeſterday ; but not
where it will be To-morrow—To-day. It comes!
The Roof trembles! The Beams crack | The
Ground rocks to and fro, Hoarſe Thunder re-
ſounds from the Bowels of the Earth. And all
theſe -are but the Beginning of Sorrows, Now
what Help? What Wiſdom can prevent, What
Strength reſiſt, the Blow ? What Money can pur-
chaſe, I vill not ſay Deliverance, but an Hour

Reprieve;

—

— * in = 2
— — — — as Ru F- —

{ 14)
Reprieve? Poor honourable Fool, where are now
thy Titles? Wealthy Fool, where is now thy
| 8 God? If any Thing can help, it muſt be
Prayer. But what wilt thou pray to? Not to the

Go of Heaven: You ſuppoſe Him to have no-

thing to do with Earthquakes. No: They pro-

.ceed in a merely natural Way, either from the

Earth itſelf, or from included Air, or from ſubter-
raneous Fires or Waters. If thou prayeſt then,
(which perhaps you never did before) it muſt be
to ſome of theſe. Begin. O Earth, Earth,
<< Earth, bear the Voice of thy Children. Hear,
O Air, Water, Fire!” And will they bear?
You know it cannot be. How deplorable then
is his Condition, who in ſuch an Hour has none
elſe to flee to? How uncomfortable the Suppoſi-
tion, which implies this, by direct, neceſſary Con-
ſequence, namely, That all theſe Things are the
-pure Reſult of merely natural Cauſes ?

But ſuppoſing the Earthquake which made ſuch
Havock at Liſbon, ſhould never travel ſo far as Lon-
Aon, is there nothing elſe which can reach us?
What think you of a Comet? Are we abſolutely
out of the Reach of this ? You cannot fay we are;
ſeeing theſe move in all Directions, and through
every Region of the Univerſe. And would the
Approach of one of theſe amazing Spheres be of
no Importance to us? Eſpecially in its Return from
the Sun? When that immenſe Body is (according
to Sir Iſaac Newton's Calculation) heated two thou-
ſand T imes hotter than a red-hot Cannon- Ball.
The late ingenious and accurate Dr. Halley (never
yet ſuſpected of Enthuſiaſm) fixes the Return of
the Comet, which appeared in One thouſand tix
Hundred and eighty-two, in the Year One thouſand
ſeven hundred and fifty-cight ; on which he 1

; f „Rut

(15 >
« But may the Great Good Gov avert a Shock. or:
© Contact of ſuch great Bodies, moving with ſuch'
« Forces, (which however is manifeſtly by no-
«© means impoſſible) leſt this moſt beautiful Order
« of Things be entirely deſtroyed, and reduced:
e into its. antient Chaos,” *

But what if Gon ſhould not avert this Contact?
What would the Conſequence be ? The immediate
Conſequence of ſuch a Body of ſolid Fire touch.
ing the Earth, muſt neceſlarily be, That it will
{et the Earth on Fire, and burn it to a Coal, if it
do not likewiſe ſtrike it out of its Courſe ; in which
Cafe. (fo far as we can judge) it muſt drop down
directly into ths Sun.

And what if this vaſt Body is alrcady on its Way?
If it is nearer than we are aware of? What if theſe
unuſual, unprecedented Motion of the Waters, be
one Effect of its near Approach? We. cannot be
certain that it will be viſible to the Inhabitants of
our Globe *till it has imbibed the tolar Fire. But
poſſibly we may ſee it ſooner than we deſire. We
may ſce it, not as Milton ſpeaks,

From its horrid Hair
Shake Peſtilence and War:

But uſhering in far other Calamities than theſe,
and of more extenſive Influence: Probably it will

„

* I think myſelf obliged to return my ſincere Thanks:
to a Gentleman, who, in Mr. Cave's Magazine, p. 5 84,
has reminded me of a Miſtake which I had made on this

Head, in a former Edition of this Pamphlet.
B 2. be

(16)
be ſeen firſt, drawing nearer and nearer, till it ap-
pears as another Moon in Magnitude, though not
in Colour, being of a deep fiery Red: Then ſcorch-
ing and burning up all the Produce of the Earth,,
driving away all Clouds, and fo — off the

Hope or Poſſibility of any Rain or Dew; drying up
every Fountain, Stream, and River; cauſing all
Faces to gather Blackneſs, and all Men's Hearts
to fail. Then executing its grand Commiſſion on
the Globe itſelf, and cauſing the Stars to fall from

Icaven “. O who may abide when this is done?
Who will then be able to ſtand ?

Duumn mare, cuum tells, operoſaque regia cell
Ardeat, & Hundi moles operoſa laboret?

What ſhall we do? Do now, that none of theſe
Things may come upon us unawares? We are
wiſely and diligently providing for our Defence
again! one Enemy, with ſuch a watchful Wiſdom,
and active Diligence, as is a Comfort to every ho-
neſt Engliſi man. But why thould we not ſhew the
fame Wiſdom and Diligence in providing againſt
all our Enemies? And if our own Wiſdom and
Strength be ſufficient to defend us, let us not ſeek.
any further. Let us without Delay recruit our
Forces, and guard our Coaſts againft the Famine,
and Murrain, and Peſtilence ; and ſtill more care-
ſully againſt inn oderate Winds, and Lightnings,
and Earthquakes, and Comets; that we may no

2 — — —
—

* What Security is there againſt all this upon the In-
Al Hypotheſis? But upon the Chriſtian there is abundant
Security : For the Sc ipture Prophecies are not yet ful-
Filed, . 4

longer

( 17.)
longer be under any painful Apprehenſions. of any
preſent or future Danger, but may ſmile .

Secure amidſt the jarring Elements,

«The Wreck of Matter, and the Cruſh of
( Worlds 2

But if our: own Wiſdom and Strength be not *

fufficient to defend us, let us not be aſhamed to
feck farther Help: Let us even dare to own,, we
believe there is a Gon : Nay, and not a lazy, | in-

>

*

dolent, Epicurean Deity, who fits at Eaſe upon

the Circle of the Heavens, and neither knows nor

cares what is done below; but one, who as He.

created Heaven and Earth, and all the Armies of
them, as He ſuſtains them all by the Wor! of tis:

Power, ſo. cannot neglect the Work of bis own -

Hands. With Pleaſure we own there is luch a

Gop, whoſe Eye pervades the. whole Sphere of cre-
ated Being, who knoweth the Number of the Sta
and calleth them all by their Names: A Gop, whoſe

Wiſdom. is as the great Abyſs, deep aud wide as:

Eternity :

„Who high in Power, in the Beginning 2:

Let Sea, and Air, and Earth, and Heaven, be
(made;

« And it was ſo; And when He ſhall ordain

In other Sort, hath but. to ſpeak again,

<& And they ſhall be no more.”

Yet more: Whoſe Mercy riſeth above the Hea-:
vens, and his Faithfulneſs above the Clouds: Who.
is loving to every Man, and his Mercy is over all.
his Works. Let us ſecure Him on our Side: Let
us. make this wiſe, this powerful, this 2racjous Cr0D;
our FE rtend'! Then need we not Aar, thaugh the Earth:

B*'3 bt.

(18 )
be moved, and the Hills be carried into the Midſi of”
the Sea: No, not though the Heavens being on Fire
are diſſolved, aud the very Elements melt with fervent
Heat. It is enough that the LoRD of Hoſts is with
us, the Gop oi Love is our everlaſting Refuge.

But how fhall we ſecure the Favour of this great
Gop? How, but by worſhiping Him in Spirit and
in Truth : By uniformly imitating Him we worſhip,
in all his imitable Perfections; without which the
molt accurate Syſtems of Opinions, all external
Modes of Religion, are idle Cobwebs of the Brain,
dull Farce, and empty Show. Now Gop is Love.
Love Gop then, and you are a true Worſhipper.
Love Mankind, and Gop is your God, your Fa-
ther, and your Friend. But ſee that you deceive
not your own Soul; for this is not a Point of ſmall
Importance. And by this you may know; If you
love Gop, then are you happy in Gop, If you
love Gor, Riches, Honours, and the Pleaſures of
Senſe, are no more to you than Bubbles on the Wa-
ter: You look on Dreſs and Equipage as the Toſ-
{c!s of a Fool's Cap; Diverſions, as the Bells on a
Fool's Coat. If you love Gop, Gop is in all
your Thoughts, and your whole Life is a Sacrifice
to Him. And if you love Mankind, Revenge, An-
ger, Envy, Fraud, Suſpicion, have no Place in you.
If you love Mankind, it is your Deſign, Defire, and
Endeavour, to fpread Virtue and Happineſs all
around you; to leſſen the preſent Sorrows, and in-
creaſe the Joys, of every Child of Man ; and, if it
be poſſible, to bring them with you to the Rivers

of Fleaſure, that are at Gop's Right Hand for ever-
more.

But where ſhall you find one who anſwers this
happy and amiable Character? Wherever you find
a

( 19 )
# Chriftian ; for this, and this alone, is real genu-
ine Chriſtianity. Surely you did not imagine that
Chriſtianity was no more than ſuch a. Syſtem of.
Opinions (as is vulgarly called Faith?) Or a ſtrict
and regular Attendance on any Kind of exteral Ii or-
ſorp? Ono! Were this all that it implied, Chri-
ſtianity were indeed a poor, empty, {hallow Thing;
ſuch as none but Half-thinkers could admire, and
all who think freely and generouſly muſt deſpiſe..
But this is not the Caſe : The Spirit above deſerib-
ed, this alone is Chriſtianity. And if fo, it is no
Wonder, that even a celebrated Unbcliever ſhould
make that frank Declaration, <4 Well, after all,
« theſe Chriſtian Dogs are the happieſt Fellows
upon Earth!“ Indeed they are. Nay, we may
fay more: They are the oaly happy Men upon
Farth. And that though we ſhould have no Re-
gard at all to the particular Circumſtances aboye-
mentioned. Suppoſe there was no ſuch Thing as a
Comet in the Univerſe, or none that would. ever
approach the ſolar Syſtem : Suppoſe there had ne-
ver been an Earthquake in the World, or that we
were aſſured there never would be another: Yet
what Advantage has a Chriſtian (I mean always a

real, ſcriptural Chriſtian) above all other Men up-
on Earth?

What Advantage has he over you in particular,
if you do not believe the Chriſtian Syſtem? For ſup-

poſe you have utterly driven away Storms, . Light-

nings, Earthquakes, Comets, yet there is another
grim Enemy at the Door; and you cannot drive
him away. It is Death. O that Death! (ſaid
a Gentleman of large Poſſeſſions, of good Health,
and a chearful natural 'Temper) I do not love to
think of tat Death It comes in, and ſpoils all.“
So it does indeed. It comes with-its “ 1aitcreated.

Front,”

C209

Front,“ and ſpoils all your Mirth; Diverſions, Plea-
ſures. It turns all into the Silence of a Tomb, in-
to Rottenneſs and Duit. And many Times it will.
not ſtay till the trembling Hand of old Age beckons.
to it: But it leaps upon you, while you are in the.
Dawn of Life, in the Bloom and Strength. of your.
Years..

The Morning Flowers diſplay their Sweets,
And gay their filken Leaves unfold, ,
„ Unmindful of the Noon-tide Heats,
« And fearleſs of the Ev'ning Cold.
« Nipp'd by the Wind's unkindly Blaſt, ,
% Parch'd by the Sun's directer Ray,
«.'The momentary Glories waſte,
The ſhort-liv'd Beauties dic away.“

And where are you then? Does your Soul diſ-
perſe and diſſolve into common Air? Or does it
Mare the Fate of its former Companion, and moul-
der into Duſt? Or does. it remain conſcious of its
aywn Exiſtence, in ſome diſtant unknown World?
"Tis all unknown! A black, dreary, melancholy
Scene | Clouds and. Darkneſs reſt upon it.

But the Caſe is far- otherwiſe with a Chriſtian. ].
To him Life and Immortality are brought to Light.
His Eye pierces through the Vale of the Shadow of
Death,. and. fees into the Glories of Eternity. His
View does not terminate on that black. Line,

„The Verge twixt mortal:and immortal Being,

But extends. beyond the Bounds of Time and Place,
to the Houſe of Gop eternal in the Heavens. Hence
he is ſo far from looking upon Death as an Enemy,
that he longs to feel his welcome Embrace. He
groair-

(21)
froans (but they are pleaſing Groans) to haveMor4
tality ſwallowed up of Life.

Perhaps you will ſay,. (6 But this is all a Dreams
He is only in a Fool's Paradiſe?” Suppoſing be
be, it is a pleaſing Deam.

Manedt mentis gratiſſimus error ]

If he is only in a Fool's Paradiſe, yet it is. a Para-
dife ; while you are wandering in a wide, weary,
barren World. Be it Folly : His Folly gives him
that preſent Happineſs, which. all your Wiſdom
cannot find. So that he may now turn the Tables
upon you, and ſay,

*© Whoe'er can Eaſe by Folly get,,
With Safety may deſpiſe

The wretched, unenjoying Wit,
The miſerable Wiſe. ”

Such, unſpeakable Advantage (even if there is none
beyond Death) has a Chriſtian over the Infidel! It
is true, he has given up ſome Pleaſures, before he
could attain to this. But what Pleaſures ? That
of eating *till he is ſick ; *till he weakens a ſtrong,
or quite deſtroys a weak Conſtitution. He has
iven up the Pleaſure of drinking a Man into a
Beaſt ; and that of ranging from one worthleſs Crea-
ture to another, till he brings a Canker upon his
Eſtate, and perhaps Rottenneſs into his Bones. But
in lieu of theſe he has now (whatever may be here-
after) a continual Serenity of Mind, a conſtant
Evenneſs and Compoſure of Temper, a Peace which -
paſſeth all Under/landing. He has learnt, in every
State wherein he is, therewith to be content: Nay,
to give Thanks, as being clearly aa prog
ELECT.

E

better for him than any other. He feels continuat
Gratitude to his Supreme Benefactor, Father of
Spirits, Parent of Good; and tender, diſintereſted
Benevolence to all: the Children of this common
Father. May the Father of your Spirit, and the
Father of our Lox D Jeſus Chriſi, make you ſuch a
Chriſtian ! May He work in your Soul a divine Con-
viction of Things not diſcerned by Eyes of Fleſh
and Blood! May He give you to ſee Him that is
inviſible, and to taſte of the Powers of the World
to come] May He fill you with all Peace and Joy
in Believing, that you may be happy in Liſe, in.
Dcath, in Eternity

* I

PQST>

(23)
FFF
POSTSCRIPT.

OR the Satisfaction of thoſe who have not
yet been fully informed of thoſe awful Events,
J have here ſubjoined Accounts both of the late

Earthquakes, and of that uncommon Agitation of
the Waters.

The great Earthquake which ſwallowed up Cal-
lao, and moſt of Lima, was in the Year 1746.

In 1750 were the two Earthquakes in London; ſe-
veral in other Parts of England; one in Ireland: In
1754 that violent one at Con/tantinople.

Of that at Liſbon the following Account was given
by a Gentleman then on the Spot :

«© The City :of Liſben was ſituated in a Valley,
running North and South, between two high Hills,
-which were alſo covered with Buildings, about ſix
Leagues from the Sea, on the North Shore of the
River Tagus. Near the River was the King's Pa-
lace, with a large Square adjoining, ſeparated by
ſome low Buildings, a ſmall Fort, and a Wall,
from the principal ” Ja and a Tandy Beach. On
the other Side of the Valley was another Square,
he Inquiſition, the Church and Convent of St. Do-
minic, and other Buildings. The principal Streets
of the City were between theſe Squares. On the
Topof the Hill, to the Eaſt, was the Caſtle of St.
Cecrge; and nah the whole Hill was covered
thick with Buildings; the Streets and Lanes .of
which were remarkably narrow. On the Weitern

Hill

| (24)

Hill were many ſtately Buildings; particularly, the
Palace of Braganza : And the Streets were, in
'neral, wider. In various Parts of the City there
were many. Convents and large Palaces, with al-
moſt innumerable Churches and Chapels. The
Number of Souls in the City were computed to
be at leaſt three hundred and fifty thouſand,

4 lived not far from the Center of the City.
Our Houſe was four Stories high. In the third
Story was my Bed-chamber, which was next the
Street. Ihere I was ſitting November 1, about Ten
in the Mcrning, (the Weather being ſerene, and
the Sky without a Cloud) when I felt the Houſe
begin to ſhake, At the ſame TimeT heard a ruſh-
ing Noiſe, like the Sound of heavy Carriages. The
Noiſe and Shaking gradually increaſing, I ſtarted
up, and ſtood ſtill, till the Room began to roll;
"which made me run into another; but the Motion
was ſo violent, I with Difficulty kept upon my
Feet. Every Part of the Houſe cracked about me.
The Wall rent on every Side, and I heard the fal-
Jing of Houſes round about, and the Cries of People
from every Quarter. Atlength, Things being more
quiet, I went to look for the Servants, but found
they had all left the Houſe : So I determined to put
on my Cloaths, and go out alſo. I was drefling my-
ſelf when the ſecond Shock began. I ran down
Stairs, till I ftopt ſhort on hearing Tiles and large
Stones falling from the Houſe, into a Yard I mult
Paſs through. I then thought it as well to remain
where I was, which was on a winding Stone Stair-
caſe ; each Step of which was an entire Stone, about
a Yard and a half in Length. Here, while I re-
mained, the Steps both above and veneath ifted ſo,
that I expected Death eveiy Moment. The two

N | Shocks,

TT Oe EE

(25)
Shocks, with the Interval between them, laſted
about a Quarter of an Hour.

<« After theſe were over, I went over Heaps of
Ruins, to the large Square before the Palace, where
I found Numbers of People collected together, with
inexpreſſible Terror in every Countenance. Pre-
ſently after a Crowd of People came running from
the Water-fide, all crying out, The Sea was pour-
ing in upon the City. This new Alarm cauſed
Multitudes to run back into it ; where a freſh Shock
following, buried many of them 1n the falling Build-

ings.

« This Alarm was not entirely without Founda-
tion. For the Water of the River roſe at once above
twenty Feet perpendicular, and ſubſided again to its
natural Height in leſs than a Minute. About Noon
I went, with ſeveral others, to an Engliſb Gentle-
man's Country-houſe, about a League Eaſtward

of the City.

« We have ſince heard, from Perſons that were
then upon Eminences, that the two great Shocks
had been over very few Minutes, before they per-
ceived the Ruins had taken Fire at ſix or ſeven dif-
ferent Places. The firſt Fire that was obſerved,
was at the Church of St. Dominic; the next, in
or near the Palace. Theſe, with many others,
raging for nine Days ſucceſſively, reduced well-nigh
the whole City to Aſhes,

„ Upwards of thirty thouſand Perſons, by the
loweſt Computation, are killed; to which the Time
contributed not alittle : For it being Al! Saints Day,
and the very Hour at which moſt People went to

their Deyotions, all the Churches were crowded -
0 And

(29)
© nd there was ſcarce a Church or Chapel in the Ci-
ty, whoſe Roof did not fall in upon the Multitude
which filled it. Abundance allo perithed by the
falling of Houſes; and not a few were burit to

Death.

*< Some of the Fires began by Incendiaries; ſome
by Eruptions of Fire from the Earth: But the moſt
began in the Churches and Convents, on account
of the vaſt Numbers of Candles which were that
Day burning within them.

« Of the vaſt Quantity of Proteſtants who re-
fided there, a very inconſiderable Number periſhed ;
and many of them, I may truly ſay, had almoſt mi-
raculous Eſcapes.

„The Motions of the Earth were Eaſt and Weſt,
which is the Courſe of the ldVwer. During the two
great Shocks the principal Key of the City all ſunk
together; and fo deep, that no Pole can reach it;
it is ſaid fifty Fathoms. At the ſame Time ſever al
Boats paſfing on the River, were ſeen to twirl round,
as in a Whirlpool, and then, with their Sterns
mounted out of the Water, to plunge Head-fore-
moſt, without riſing any more. The Earth opened
in Abundance of Places; as, at Alcantara, a League

Veſt of the City; at Sacavern, two Leagues to the
Nonth- caſt ; at St. AJartinhe, fifteen Leagues to the
North-weſt ; and at Setuval, tour Leagues to the
South-weſt: Not to mention Places at a greater
Diſtance. Some of theſe Chaſms remain ſtill open,
others cloſed up again. Out of ſome iſſued Water,
from others Wind, and from others a ſulphurous
Vapour.

The

„„ nr
Las.

© + A SSR}

1

The ſhort Account given by another Evgl;f Gens
tleman, then at Liſen, runs in chete W ends:

Baller, I 6t! November, 1755.
« On the firſt of this Month, about Three Quar-

ters aſter Nine in the Morning » great Part ot this
Ciry was reduced to a Heap ot Rubbiff in. As there
were repeated Socks, all the Inhabitants left the
City, arid hed waere they tho! {gt themſclves mott
fafe. The it ronger and larger the Buildings were,
the more they were affected ; of Cords: vaſt Num-
bers being juſt then at Maſs, were buried in the
Ruins of their Churches. Some ſuppoſe forty thou-
ſand Perſons to have periſhed. Ine Earth opened
in many Places. Many Boats were ſwallowed up
and the entire Cait de Pedra, (the chief Key) where
it once was is now deep Water. To compleat all,
the Ruins took Fi tre in many Places; and what the
tarthquake had Jeft ſtanding, the Fire conſumed :

Nor could any Aftſtance be given, the Streets be-
ing rendered impaſſable by the falling of the Houſes.
The Cuſtom House e, and all that was in it, the
Iudia-Houſe, the King” s Palace, the Palace of Br a.

Case, where the King's Diamonds were kept, and
the whole Body of the City, are conſumed. - Fit-
teen hundred Pcople periſned. at Setuual ; and at

ther Places they are equal dufferers.“
Another writes thus:

On Board the Braganza, 18 Nov. 1755.

< In the midſt of inexpreſſible Horror and Con-
fuſion we addrets ourſelves to you, with the Rela-
tion of che late City of Liſbon's Ruin; and, if Re-
3 port

( 28)

port be true, not much leſs of the whole Kingdom
of Portugal, On the 1\t inſtant Gop was pleaſed
to viſit us with an Earthquake, the like of which
it 1s believed the World never felt from the Crea-
tion: For in a few Minutes it levelled with the
Ground the greateſt Part of the City : And, to com-
pleat its Deſtruction, the Fire ſucceeded directly,
burning with ſupernatural Impetuoſity, *till the
whole I own was deſtroyed, except ſome Houſes at
the Extremity of it. We ſaved our Lives but by
half a Minute; for we had got but a few Yards
from our Houſe when it fell to the Ground. Our
Houſe was the firſt that fell in our Neighbourhood,
In half a Minute more the next Houſe fell, toge-
th r with the Convent and Pariſh-Church of St.
£7 anas; while we were confined, with about fift
Pogle more, in the little Square before our Hcuſe,
in the Midſt cf the large Buildings tumbling all
round.

* We have been for ſome Days hard at Work
on the Rubbiſh, notwithitanding the Heat of the
Stones, and a good deal of Fire ſtill ſubſiſting. We
have dug out between three and four hundred Moi-
dores, but as black as a Coal, and moſt of them
half diminiſhed, and few or none whole: Very ma-
ny, we fear, are entirely melted away. The Fire

{topt two or three Houſes before it reached your
Warehouſes ; but from thence to near the Galleys,
cvery individual Thing is conſunied. So univ erſal

a Deſtruction by Fire, in ſo ſhort a Space, exceeds
al Comprchenſion; and we think afluredly was
cut by the Almighty, to puniſh the amazing Wic-
kedneſs of this Nation.“

The

i E 1 3 / /* 2 74 * 1 4
1 le TO ln Accounts arc ECXxtIacieu from Va-

—

Trious Letters:

There were Shocks more or 1:
the 8th, on which, a lutle after Five * the Mon
ing, chere 2 was one whicn levelled witn the Ground
great Part of the few remaining Houſes, Meane
time the River roſe and ſunk four different Times,
upwards of twenty Fect. Front this Time there
were alſo daily Shocks till the 19th, on which not
one compleat Story of any Houſe Was ſtanding.

7

# : _ 1 N 7 ; . 1 TY . - ; 3
Dec. 11. After man“ k She OCKS C all the Preccding
Td ; / ; ; 5 1 — 8 _ 4 * ©
Days, (one only excepted) from Nov. 19, about a
F: . _— . E. 74 ; % Py | Re ; 1 Woo * „* % —
eee belore Five in the Morning, was anathe;
F Sh . ** ' } 791+ 1 4; . * 4 _ * 3 «#5 p E } ”»
Cerri 2 0 "a9 * ile I CIILLTCI) irren a dIOT- UI NC
1 1 3 1 7 * 271
Bala 'S LI3T Were net haken UGVW2A1 by the tormer
n
« 14 1 *

#3 \ an 1 * *
4 * Fa % » 8 2 4 FY \- 7%
T COMSIGECITAaDYE

— o -

—

; i ;
NM 2UNILALNS in ForTHAEa! WE! rent, and i ie 9 of the m

* . * 271 .

At Cadis, in x , the vhIcks began about Ten
in the Morn "A Hour Alter the Sea ſwrellad
(tcarce 3 ee 2 of Air fi rring) all round the City,
broke down creat Part of the Walls, and overflowed
a-conliderable Part = he City. It did the ſame at
many other Places on the Coaſt: At Sf. Lucar in
particular, where the Water roſe more than thitt:
Feet in two Minutes, and drowned Abundance of
People. At Syville, about the ſame Hour, the Earth-

872 Quake

*

—ů ů —
—— —

(30)
quake was ſo violent, that few Buildings are left en-
tire; and all the Villages in the Neigh! hourhood are

entirely demoliſhed. Madrid li kewiſe ſuffered much.

So did all the Towns from Cadiz to Malaga, and

tor upwards of thirty Leagues along the Coaſt.

It vas felt at Gibraltar the ſame Day, ten Minutes
after I en, and for ſeveral Days ſucceſſiv ely.

In Barbary, on the oppoſite Coaſt to Gibraltar,
they ſuffered as much, if not more than in Portugal.
At Telnan the Earthquake began at the ſame Hour
it did there, and continued ſeven or eight Minutes,
during which Time they had three violent Shocks,

and expected every Moment the City would fall to
the Ground.

At Tangier it began at the ſame Hour, ſhaking
the Ground, Walls, Houſes, and Mol: (QuCs, in a very
terrible eder and a great Pile of antient Build-
ing, near the Gate of the oven, after two or three
Movements; tumbled down, and killed ſeveral Peo-
ple; the Water flowed over the Town Walls, leav-
ing NN it, at its Return, a vaſt Quantity of Fiſh
and Sand ; and in like Manner it continued to riſe

nd fall about ei; ghteen Times, in the Space of eight.

ae

At Salle Numbers of Houſes were thrown down;

and the Sea flowed into the Heart of the City, and
drowned ſeveral of the Inhabitants, leavi ing, at its
Return, a great Quantity of Sand and Fith in the
treet, as at Tangier : There were ſeveral Boats full
of People fiſhing at the ſame Time, who were all
{wallowed up by the Sea: And alſo a Number of
People and Camels, juſt ſetting out for Morocco, pe-

riſhed in the ſame Manner. 4
t

|

—

1

31)

| At Fez a vaſt Quantity of People were killed; and
| the greateſt Part of that large City deſtroyed.

At Moro a vaſt Number of Houſes were de-

ftroyed, and a great many People buried in the

Ruins. Without this City there was a large Place

which contained about four hundred Huts, the Peo-

ple of which amounted at leaſt to ten thouſand

Souls, who, with a large Number of Horſes, Ca-

| mels, and other Cattle, were ſwallowed up by the

| Earth, which immediately after cloſed, and not a
F fingle Soul eſcaped.

Another Earthquake began at Fez the 18th a
Night, and continued *tll the 19th in the Morning 5
more violent than the former; innumerable Houſes

fell, and Numbers of People were deſtroyed.

At Mequinez it was ſtill more dreadful, ſcarcely
leaving a fingle Houſe ſtanding ;- and that Part of
the City where the Zews reſided was entirely ſwal-
lowed up, and all the People (about four thouſand |
in Number) periſhed, except ſeven or eight.

It was felt at Milan, both on the 1ſt and the gth
Inſtant ; the Canal which ſurrounded the "Town be-
ing at the ſame Time greatly agitated.

It was very ſenſibly felt in many Provinces of
Swweden.and Norway. In Iceland an Earthquake was
| | felt in October, which threw down ſeveral Houfes ;
and at the fame Lime Mount Hecla cait forth uns

| | uſual Quantities of Fire.

At half an Hour after Nine in the Morning, two
Shocks of an Earthquake were felt at Cork in Ireland.
About.

(32)

About the ſame Time there was ſuch a Sea with -
out the Bar of Autigna, as had not been known =
the Memory of Man: And after it all the Wat
at the Wharfs, which uicd to be fix Feet, was not
two Inches.

At Barbados, about Two in the Afternoon, the
Sea ebb'd and flow'd ina ſurprizing Manner: It ran
over the Wharfs into the Houſes ; and at the old
Bridge brought up Fiſh of ſeveral Sorts.

Nov. 18. About Seven in the Evening a violent
Shock was felt in and about the Pariſh of Bitten in
Cumberland, where feveral Farm houſes, and the old
Tower at Iten hall, were very much ſhaken,

It was felt on the fame Day, about half an Hour
paſt Four in the Morning, at Be/tan in New-£:7-
land, ſhook the Tiles from the Tops of moſt How uſes,
threw down many Chimnies, and ſhattered the Brick
Buildings: As alſo at Naw? ork, in Philade/96: i”
and feveral other Parts of Nerth America,

Several Shocks of an Earthquake were felt in
many Parts of Switzerland, from Dec. ift tothe 1 5th.
In the Borough of Brique moſt of the Houſes were
thrown down, and half the Steeple of the great
Church. During the Shocks the Earth opened in
many Places, and threw out great Quantities of
Water. The ſame Earthquake was felt in many
Parts of Langucdec; as alſo (both on the gth and
Iith) in Hanconia, Mirtenberg, Sunbta, Alſace, and
moſt other Parts of the German Empire.

A Shock was felt at Liege, Dec. 26, about Six in
Evening, and a more violent one ſoon after Mid-
night,

( 33)

night, which was quickly followed by another; and
at the ſame Time a Noiſe was heard, like the Diſ-
charge of Cannon at a Diſtance, Some Officers,
who were then on Guard at a Diſtance, declared,
that they ſaw juſt then a luminous Arch in the Fir-
mament, which extended from ae/?richt to the
Flamand Country. In the Part of the City on the
other Side the Meuſe, the Shocks were much more
violent; and feveral Boats and Barges on the Meuſe
were funk by the violent Agitation of the Water.
And by the lateſt Accounts we find there have
been Shocks, more or leſs, in ſome Part or other
of the World, every Day, from Nov.. 1, to the
31ſt of December.

The very uncommon Commotion in the Waters
was obſerved in all Parts of Hzllond, Great- Britain,
and Ireland; and that in the inland Waters, as well
as in the neighbouring Scas. And 'tis highly pro-
bable, although through Want of Attention it was
not taken Notice of, that it was ſpread, in ſome
Degree or other, at leaſt througli all Parts of Eu-
rope, if not of Africa and America.

Nov. 1. In the Forenoon the Waters of the Ri-
vers, Canals, and Lakes, in Holland, were violent-
ly agitated ; fo that at Woubrugge, Alphen, Baſbosp,
and Rotterdam in particular, Buoys were broken from
their Chains, large Veſſels ſnapt their Cables, ſmal-
ler ones were thrown out of the Water on the Land,
and others lying on the Land were ſet afloat. In
the Lake of Harlem the Courſe of a Veſſel on full
Sail was ſuddenly ſtopt, and the Rudder unhung..
During the Time of this Agitation, which was near
four Minutes, not only the Waters in the Rivers
and Lakes, but likewiſe all Manner of Fluids in
ſmaller Quantities, as in Coolers, Tubs, Oc. were

cqually

( 34 )

equally agitated, and daſh'd over the Sides, though
no Motion could be perceived either in the Larthe
the Houſes, or the containing Veilels, In tuch
ſmall Quantities alſo, the Surface of the Liquid kad
a direct Aſcent, prior to its turbulent Motion; and
in many Places the Rivers and Canals roſe twelve
Inches perpendicular.

In the Diſtrict of Hertogenboſch in Brabart, this
Agitation laſted near half an Hour, occafi. ning
Wrecks of Veſicls, long fince ſunk, to riſe to the
Surface, and float for ſeveral Minutes.

At Lubeck, in Holſtein, the River roſe five Feet
perpendicular in an Inftant ; by which Motion one
Ship ſnapt its Cables, and great Damage was done
to others. The Agitation here laſted nine Minutes:
It laſted every where proportionably to the Hei ght
of the inſtantaneous Aſcent. The River at G/u4-
Aadt roſe in the ſame Manner. And the fame Kind

of Agitation was obſerved through the whole Courſe
of the Rivers Meſer and Elbe.

In Port/nouth Dock, about half an Hour paſt
Ten, the Goſport was obſerved to pitch forward with
her Head in the Water, and immediate! y recover it,
and pitch as deep in with her Stern; the Water
about her being greatly agitated, as it was in the
Baſon at the ſame Time.

At the ſame Time ſeveral Ponds near Cranbrock
in Kent, the Weather being very calm, were ob-
ſerved to roll like the Sca after a Storm: The Wa-
ter ſwelled three or four Feet; and in one Pond
roſe ſo high and violently, as to break down the
Banks. The ſame Phænomenon was ſeen at ſeve-
ral other Places in the County.

Near

C35 7

Near Godalmin, in Surry, the Water in a Canal
ſuddeny roſe io high as to overflow the Bank on

one dite, then ſubſided, and preſently overflowed
the Bank on the other.

At Laden, in Bedford/bire, the Water of a Pond
was ic vieicntly agitated, that it ſeveral Times over-

flow ed i its Bank on one Side, and ebbed ſix Feet on

At the Hale, in Cornwall, about Four in the Af
ternoon, there were three ſudden Heads of Water
one after the other. And at St. Ives a Veſtel, which
was near dry, floated oft to {ome Diſtance.

At Swanſea, in Males, between Six and Seven in
the Evening, a Mile and a half up the River, after
two Hours Ebb, a large Head of Water ruih'd up
with a great Noiſe, floated two large Veſſels, broke
their Stern Moorings, heaved them acroſs the Ri-
ver, and it was with g creat Difficulty they were pre-
vented from oy erletting, It fell almoſt as ſuddenly

as it roſe. In none of theſc Places was there any
Shock on the Land.

At Kirſale, in the Afternoon, when the Tide had
ebbed ſome Time, it returned with inexpreſſible
Violence. A Sloop ot ſixty Tons, which lay at An-
chor in a Creck, was torn away from her Moor-
ings, (two new Cables breaking like two Threads,
though not a Breath of Wind blew) and drove a-
ſhore in a Moment. The Fiſhing-boats were whirl'd
about like fo many Corks, with a Motion as ſwift
as the Fly of a Jack. "Thoſe that were empty, and

had none to manage them, ſunk directly in the Eddy

Water, as in a Wbiripool. Others were driven
with

(30)

with great Violence on the Land. The Fluxes
and Refluxes of the Sca continued from Three in
the Afternoon till Ten at Night, there being ſel-.
dom more than a Quarter of an Hour between each
Return. The Warer did not rife gradually, but
with a hollow Noiſe rulh'd in, as a Delu: ge, riling
fix or ſeven Feet in a Minute, and as ſuddenly ſub-
ſiding. It was thick as Puddle, very black, and
funk intolerably.

Tremendous LoRD of Earth and Skies,
Moſt Holy, High, ard Jul},
We fall before thy glorious Ey es,
And hide us in the Duſt:
1 hine Anger' 5 long ſuſpended Stroke
With dcepeſt Awe we feel,
And tremble on, to lately ſhook
Oer the Mouth of Hell.
*
s But O thou dreadful righteous LORD,
'The praying Remanaut fpare |
The Men that tremble at thy Word,
And ſce the coming Snare | ö
Our Land if yet again Thou ſhake,
Or utterly break doven,
A merciful Diſtinction make,
And ſtrongly ſave thine own: